Strap feeding and guiding device



July 3, 1962 F. A. CECHNER ETAL 3,041,961

STRAP FEEDING AND GUIDING DEVICE Filed June 2, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fly 5 25M 1 3' am 0 W 12 0mg PJW y 3, 1962 F. A. CECHNER ETAL 3,041,961

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2, 1958 y 3, 1962 F. A. CECHNER ETAI. 3,041,961

STRAP FEEDING AND GUIDING DEVICE Filed June 2, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 75 6: INVENTORS (25/ 8 P.Jm' B Uite ttes Patent 3,041,961 STRAP FEEDlNG AND GUIDING DEVICE Frank A. Cechner, La Grange, and Olle P. Sterner,

Skokie, Ill., assignors to Signode Steel Strapping Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 2, 1958, Ser. No. 739,159 13 Claims. (Cl. 100-25) This invention relates to strap feeding and guiding devices, and in particular to a new and improved strap feeding arrangement for use in applying strapping to large and awkward sized packages at the banding station of a packaging line.

Heretofore, it has been customary at the banding or tying station in a packaging line for two men standing at opposite sides of a conveyor along which the package moves, to apply the strapping to the crate, package, or bundle. The package is stopped between them, and one man passes the strapping end over to his partner at the opposite side, who in turn feeds it beneath the conveyor and the package to the first man, who then secures the strapping to the package by the use of suitable strap tensioning and joint forming tools. The man at the far side of the banding station, who merely receives the strap from the first man and passes it back beneath the conveyor to his partner, has relatively little to do except to see that the strapping fits the package or crate at the proper position during the initial phase of the tensioning operation, and his job consequently is relatively unimportant and highly uninteresting. Furthermore, it is tedious to the point of being tiresome. It is this type of job which profitably should be eliminated in modern manufacturing plants.

The strap feeding and guiding device of the present invention is particularly adapted to increase the mechanization of the packaging line at the banding station by providing an arrangement whereby the strapping is mechanically fed and is guided about the bundle, package, or crate, and overlapped with the standing portion thereof which is connected to the source of strap supply. The overlapped ends are secured into a tension resisting joint after that portion of the strapping about the bundle has had the proper tension applied thereto. All of these operations may be performed by a single man. Basically, the mechanism of this invention includes a strap guiding track or trough about at least two sides of the package and a powered means for feeding the strapping through this strap guide or trough.

The strap feeding and guiding device of the present invention is particularly useful where the banding station economically is only semi-automatic or partially mechanized in its operation, and where the application of strapping by a power strapping machine, such as that shown in John H. Leslie and George A. Crosby Patent No. 2,707,430, dated May 3, 1955, is not indicated. Such operations might include those wherein the packaging line would not be continuously, but only intermittently, operated and those wherein the sizes of the bundles or packages would vary considerably but are usually banded with the same size strapping.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a new and improved strap feeding and guiding device for a packaging line, which assists in increasing the mechanization of the packaging operation.

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Another object is to provide a new and improved strap feeding and guiding device for a packaging line, which enables strap to be fed about the bundle and to be tensioned, and a joint to be formed in the overlapped strapping ends by a single operator regardless of the size and shape of the bundle.

Another object is to provide a new and improved strap feeding and guiding device for a packaging line, which has a positive feed of the strap about the package, enabling the free end to be brought into overlapped position with the standing portion.

Another object is to provide a new and improved strap feeding and guiding device which automatically disengages the strapping from the feeder at the end of the feeding operation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a station in a. packaging line, showing the strap feeding and guiding device of the present invention with a strap tensioning and joint forming tool illustrated in dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the leadin trough, horn, or funnel for guiding the strapping to the power portion of the feeding device, and showing the parts thereof in strap guiding position;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the strap lead-in or guiding horn, showing the parts in such position as to permit the stripping of the strapping sidewardly from the feeding device;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the strap lead-in or guiding horn, taken from the top of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, taken from the left side of FIG. 2, with the lead-in or guiding horn parts removed better to illustrate the mechanism for mounting such parts and for feeding the strapping;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the irregular line 6-6 of H6. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the inlet side of the feeding device, and may be considered as taken from the right side of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the outlet side of the feeding device, and may be considered as taken from the left side of FIG. 5.

The strap feeding and guiding device of the present invention is indicated by the reference character 10 and is located at a banding station 12 of a packaging line 14, the conveyor portion 16 of which is fragmentarily shown. Strapping S for application to crates, packages, bundles, and the like, B, is drawn from a source of strapping 18 which may be a strap dispensing reel such as that shown in Loman 0. Green Patent No. 2,506,354, dated May 2, 1950. After the strapping S has been passed about the bundle and its leading end brought into overlapped relation with its standing portion, the strapping is inserted into a strapping tool 20, indicated in dotted lines, tension is applied to the strapping about the bundle B, a joint is formed in the overlapping strapping ends, and the strapping about the bundle is severed from the source coil. The strapping tool preferably is a power tool and may be the power version of the tools shown in John H. Leslie Patent No. 2,497,313, dated February 14, 1950, or Wil- 3 liam C. Childress and Arvid I. Ericsson Patent No. 2,594,- 397, dated April 29, 1952.

The tool 211 is mounted on a standard at the rear of the line and is positioned for articulated movement above the top of the package B on an arm 22. The mounting, arm, and tool do not form part of the present invention and are only generally described and shown.

The strap feeding and guiding device includes a frame 24 which may be secured to the side rails 26 of the conveyor, a strap guiding trough or track 28, a power feeder 3t}, and controls 32.

The frame 24 includes a vertical standard 34- upstanding at the rear conveyor member 26 to a height appreciably above that of the largest bundle B which would pass along the conveyor, and a similar member 36 underlying the two conveyor rails 26. The two members 34- and 36 are welded or otherwise suitably secured together, and may similarly be fastened to the rails 26 of the conveyor. The upstanding member 34 is preferably additionally supported by a diagonal bracing member 3%. The frame also includes a top support 46 and a short channel member 42 parallel to the member 36, which are secured together and to the standard 34, thus completing the frame portion of the feeding device 10. It will be noted that the top horizontal member 40 is preferably formed by a pair of plates which provide a cover or housing for the feeder section 30.

The trough or guide track 28 includes a pair of inwardly open guiding sections 4-4 and 46 which have arcuate ends 48, the only arcuate end shown being that of the forward end of the section 46 underlying the bundle at the tying or banding station. The track sections 4-43- and 46 are secured, respectively, to the vertical standard 34 and to the horizontal member 36 of the supporting frame 24. It will be observed that the rails 26 of the conveyor 16 are interrupted at the banding station 12 to accommodate the horizontal track section 46 to enable it to guide the strapping beneath the bundle and to permit the strapping to be removed from the guide track and snugged against the underside of the bundle.

The feeder 3b is powered by an electric motor 51 which is mounted at 52 to the underside of the bracket plates 40. The motor shaft 54 projects through a mounting plate 56 which depends from the underside of the plates 40 and on which the guiding and feeding portions of the power feeder 30 are mounted, as will be described hereinafter.

The motor d drives a feed wheel 55 which has a knurled or serrated periphery 60 to provide a firm and positive drive between the feed wheel 58 and the strapping. The strapping is pressed against the feed wheel 58 by a backup or presser roller 62 of the same diameter as the feed wheel 58, which is journaled on an eccentric shaft 64-, which in turn is mounted in a hub 66 having a pivotal mounting 68 in the depending bracket plate 5 6. An arm 70 is connected to the hub 66 and projects rearwardly or to the left, as seen in P16. 5, and at its outer end has a spring 72 connected to it, the opposite end of the spring 72 being secured to armature 74 of a solenoid 76 which is mounted on the underside of the support plates 40. When the solenoid 76 is energized, the armature 74 is drawn inwardly and upwardly and the spring 72 pulls the arm 70 upwardly. Due to the eccentric position of the axle 64 with respect to the pivot 68, the idler roller 62 is moved toward and against the periphery 6-0 of the feed wheel 58.

Energization of the circuit to the motor 50- also causes energization of the solenoid 76, and, therefore, at all times when the feed Wheel is driving in the clockwise direction FIG. 5) the solenoid 76 holds the presser roller 62 against the periphery of the feed wheel and, during strap feeding, holds the strapping against the feed wheel. When the motor circuit is deenergized, the solenoid 76 likewise is deenergized and the weight of the arm and the eccentrically mounted hub 66 causes the presser roller 62 to drop away from the feed wheel 53, thereby opening a gap between the two to permit the sideward withdrawal of strapping, as will be described.

The strapping S is initially guided to the feed wheel 58 and presser roller 62 by a lead-in guide trough, funnel, or horn 78 which is shown most clearly in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. The guide trough has a wide mouth 8% and tapers to a substantially smaller guiding outlet 82 so that the strapping may be fed properly and accurately by manual advancement to the feed wheel 58 and presser roller 62. The lead-in guide trough 78 comprises a stationary sec tion 84 and a movable section 86.

The stationary section 84- comprises an angular menu her having a bottom wall 88 and a side wall upstanding therefrom. At its forward edge the side wall 9% is integral with a flange 92 facing outwardly of the trough structure 78. The flange $2 is secured by bolts 94 to an upstanding arm 96 of a generally L-shaped bracket which has its other arm 9 secured to a mounting plate 1% by a bracket 102 and bolts 1114. The stationary horn section 84 is also secured to the horizontal arm 9 of the bracket 28 by a transverse member 106 which is welded to the underside of the bottom wall 88 and is bolted to the horizontal bracket arm 99.

The mounting plate 1% is secured by bolts 19% to an L-shaped bracket member 111} which is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the depending bracket plate 56.

The movable trough or horn section 86 comprises an upper wall 112, a side wall 114 which is opposite the wall 90 of the stationary section 84, and a short flange 116 which is arranged to be parallel to and laid against the inner face of the wall 96? when the horn parts are in the closed or guiding position (FIGS. 2 and 4). When the horn sections 84 and 86 are in guiding position, the walls 112 and 88 complement each other, as do the walls 90 and 114, to form the wide mouth 86 at the inlet side of the trough or horn and the narrow erit or outlet 82 at the inner end thereof.

The movable horn section 86 is mounted on a bracket 118 which in turn is mounted on a shaft 126. The bracket includes a short trough arm 122 and a combined mounting and displacement arm 124 both of which are secured by bolts or rivets to an angle member 126 which is welded or otherwise secured to the outer surface of the top wall 112 (FIG. 4). The shorter arm 122 is fastened as by welding to a sleeve 128 which is locked to the shaft 120 by a Set screw or other suitable means. The mounting and displacement arm 124 is similarly welded or secured to a sleeve 13!) which is secured to the shaft 120 by suitable means, such as a set screw.

The shaft 120 is rotatably mounted in a pair of bearings 132 carried on the inner face of a bearing plate 134. The plate is secured at one end to the projecting arm of the L-shaped bracket 11? by a bolt 136 and at its opposite end to a projecting bracket 138 by a bolt 1%, the bracket 138 being welded to the face of the depending bracket plate 56.

The lower end of the displacement arm 124 is connected to a spring 14-2 which has its opposite end connected to an armature 144 of a solenoid 146. Whenever the circuit to the motor 59 is energized, the circuit to the solenoid 146 is energized and the armature 144 is drawn inwardly, pulling the arm 124 in the clockwise direction (FIGS. 2, 3, and 7), thereby moving the horn section 86 to guiding position. (The elements of the device are also shown in the solenoid energized condition in FIG. 7.)

The horn post 86, however, is biased toward the strap discharge position as seen in FIG. 3, by a spring 148 which has its lower end anchored at 150 to the mounting plate and its opposite end connected to the outer end of an arm 152, positioned generally at right angle to the displacement arm 124 and secured, as by welding, to the sleeve as seen in FIG. 6. Thus, the force exerted by the solenoid 146 must be sufficient to overcome the biasing effect of the spring 143 and the weight of the arm 152.

As the strapping S is fed toward the position between the feed roll 58 and the pressure roll 62, it is vertically guided and passed between a pair of rollers 154 which are mounted and journaled for free rotation upon a mounting plate or bracket member 156 which is bolted or welded, or otherwise secured, to the face of the depending bracket plate 56. The rollers 154 are mounted for rotation on fixed axes and are spaced apart a distance ade quately freely to pass therebetween strapping having the maximum thickness which would ordinarily be used in feeding devices of this type, such strapping thickness being in the order of .055".

The strapping is guided laterally, that is, against sidewise displacement, as it emerges from the horn outlet 82 between a pair of rollers 158 and 160. The roller 158 is mounted for free rotation on a generally vertical axle or spindle 162 which is fixed in and depends from the mounting bracket element 119. The roller 160 is mounted for free rotation on a short stub axle 164 which is carried in one arm 166 of a U-shaped carrier 168, the opposite arm 17% thereof being welded to a sleeve 172 which is nonrotatably mounted on the shaft 120 by means of a set screw or the like. Thus, when the horn part 86 is moved to the strap guiding position shown in FIG. 2, the roller 160 is brought into position opposite the roller 158 and the two laterally position the strapping as it passes from the horn structure 78 toward the nip between the feed and pressure rollers 58 and 62. After the strapping has been passed about the bundle and the feeding terminated by breaking the circuit to the motor 50, the solenoid 146 is deenergized and the spring 148 moves the horn element 86 to the position shown in FIG. 3, and the roller 166 away from the strap guiding position.

As the strap S emerges from between the feed wheel 58 and the presser roller 62, it is further guided between a pair of spaced fingers 174 each of which is bifurcated at its end 176 to straddle the feed wheel 58 or the pressure roll 62, as the case may be. The guide fingers 174 are mounted on blocks 177 which in turn are mounted on a plate 178 carried by an extension of the depending plate 56. A plurality of bolts 180 mount the fingers 174 to the blocks 177 and the latter in turn have a limited adjustable mounting by means of bolts 182 with respect to the depending bracket plate 56. As the strap emerges from between the vertically spaced guide fingers 174, it is fed toward and enters the vertical strap track section 44, and then passes down and under the box or bundle B, through the horizontal track section 46, where it emerges in front of the operator who is standing adjacent the conveyor 16 and at the controls 32.

The strapping is laterally removed from the feeding portion 30 of the apparatus by the displacement arm 124 and a second displacement arm 184. The displacement arm 124, the shape of which is most clearly shown in FIG. 7 in the position it has during the strap feeding operation, has its lower end 186 clear of the path of strap movement. The displacement arm 184, its position during strap feedirn operation being shown in FIG. 8, has its lower end 188 similarly clear of the path of strap movement as it emerges from between the guiding fingers 174. The displacement arm 184, like its opposite number 124, is fixed to the shaft 120 by means of a sleeve 1% to which its upper end is welded. The arms 124 and 184, there fore, move with the shaft 120 as it rotates. At the end of the strap feeding operation, when the motor circuit is denergized and the circuit to solenoid 146 is deenergized, the spring 148 rocks the shaft 120 in the clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 7, thereby moving the lower ends of the arms 124 and 184 across the path of longitudinal strap movement, ejecting it laterally to the left as seen in FIGS. 3 and 7, and to the right as seen in FIG. 8, thereby removing it from between the feed wheel 58 and the presser roll 62 and from between the guide rolls 154 and the finger 174. The strap had been released by the presser roll 62 from engagement with the feed wheel 58, since deenergization of the circuit to the motor 50 likewise deenergizes the circuit to the solenoid 76, and the weight of the arm 76 and eccentric 66 drops the presser roll 62 away from the feed wheel 58. The lateral guide roller 160, being mounted on the U-shaped bracket 168, which is locked to the shaft 120, is cleared from lateral guiding position to that shown in FIG. 3.

The strapping portions may be placed in strap anchoring and tensioning devices of the strapping machine 20 in the manner disclosed in the aforementioned patents relating to such machines. The strapping machine 20 is operated to apply proper tension to the strapping about the bundle, and then another part of the strapping machine 20 is operated to form a joint in the overlapping strap ends and to cut off the standing portion of the strapping from that around the bundle, thereby completing the banding of the bundle B by a single operator.

While no control circuit has been shown, as such is conventional, it should be noted that the controls 32include a normally open foot switch 192 which is connected to close the circuits to the motor 50 and the solenoids 76 and 146. The switch 192 is closed when the operator steps on it, and it is thus possible for the operator to feed only the desired length of strapping about the bundle from the source coil.

The feeder 30 is shown at the top of the track section 44 so that the strapping is fed over the top of the bundle B, down its rear side and then under the bundle. It is within the scope of the invention to position the feeder 30 at the front end of the track section 46 so that the strap is fed in the reverse direction from that shown in the drawing. Also, the strap guiding track 28 might extend about three sides of the bundle or parts thereof. It is merely essential that the track 28 extend far enough to direct the strapping S about the girth of the bundle B so that portions of it may be easily inserted into the strapping machine 20 in overlapped position.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the objectives which were claimed for this invention at the outset of the specification have been fully attained.

While a preferred embodiment of the strap feeding and guiding device has been shown and described, it will be apparent that numerous modifications and variations thereof may be made without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. It is, therefore, desired by the following claims to include within the scope of the invention all such variations and modifications: by which substantially the results of this invention may be obtained through the use of the same or equivalent means.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A strap feeding and guiding device for a banding station in a packaging line, comprising in combination, means forming an inwardly open strap guiding track extending about a pair of adjacent bundle sides at the banding station, a strap feeder mounted at one end of said strap track and having a powered feed wheel engageable with the strapping to feed it into and through said strap track, a generally horn-shaped, two-part, lead-in guiding trough having a fixed trough part and a movable trough part for guiding the strapping to said feed wheel, said movable trough part being movable between strap guiding and strap ejectment positions, and movable strap ejector means engageable with the strapping for laterally removing the strapping from engagement with said feed Wheel and from said strap feeder at the end of the strap feeding operation, means mounting said movable trough part and said strap ejector means for movement in unison, and means operable from a common control means for simultaneously controlling the operation of said feed wheel and the movements of said movable trough part and said strap ejector means.

2. A strap feeding and guiding device for a banding station in a packaging line, comprising in combination, means forming an inwardly open strap guiding track exaoanoei tending about a substantial portion of the bundle girth at the banding station, a strap feeder mounted at one end of said strap track and having a powered feed wheel engageable with the strapping to feed it into and through said strap track, a generally horn-shaped, two-part, lead-in guiding trough having at least one movable trough part for guiding the strapping to said feed wheel, means mounting said movable trough part for movement between trough closed and open positions, movable strap ejector means mounted on said means mounting said movable trough part and engageable with the strapping for laterally removing the strapping from engagement with said feed wheel and from said strap feeder as said trough part moves to open position at the end of the strap feeding operation, and means operable from a common control means for simultaneously controlling the operation of said feed wheel and the positions of movable trough part and said strap ejector means.

3. A strap feeding and guiding device for a banding station in a packaging line, comprising in combination, means forming an inwardly open strap guiding track extending about a substantial portion of the bundle girth at the banding station, a strap feeder mounted at one end of said strap track and having a powered feed wheel engageable with the strapping to feed it into and through said strap track, a generally horn-shaped, two-part, lead-in guiding trough for guiding the strapping to said feed wheel, said trough having a fixed trough part and a laterally movable part to enable the strapping to be ejected sidewardly from said trough, movable strap ejector means engageable with the strapping for laterally disengaging the strapping from said feed wheel and for sidewardly ejecting the strapping from said strap feeder at the end of the strap feeding operation, means connected to said movable trough part and said strap ejector means for biasing both said trough part and said ejector means to strap ejectment positions, and other means connected to said movable trough part and said ejector means and operable to move said part and said ejector means to strap guiding positions.

4. A strap feeding and guiding device for a banding station in a packaging line, comprising in combination, means forming an inwardly open strap guiding track extending about a substantial portion of the bundle girth at the banding station and having an inlet end and an outlet end, a strap feeder mounted at the inlet end of said strap track and having a powered feed wheel engageable with the strapping to feed it into and through said strap track, a generally horn shaped, two-part, lead-in guiding trough having a fixed trough part and a movable trough part for guiding the strapping to said feed wheel, means mounting said movable trough part for movement between trough closed and open positions, strap ejector means mounted on said means mounting said movable trough part and movable with said movable trough part and engageable with the strapping for laterally disengaging the strapping from said feed wheel and for removing the strapping from said strap feeder as said movable trough part moves to trough open position at the end of the strap feeding operation, and means including a common control means for simultaneously controlling the operation of said feed wheel, said means movably mounting said movable trough part and said strap ejector means.

5. A strap feeding and guiding device for a banding station in a packaging line, comprising in combination, means forming an inwardly open strap guiding track partially encircling the bundle at the banding station, a strap feeder mounted at one end of said strap track and having a feed wheel engageable with the strapping to feed it into and through said strap track, power means connected to said feed wheel for rotating it in strap feeding direction, a generally horn-shaped, two-part, lead-in guiding trough having a fixed trough part and a movable trough part for guiding the strapping to said feed Wheel, means mounting said movable trough part for movement between trough closed and open positions, strap ejector means movable with said movable trough part and engageable with the strapping for laterally removing the strapping from said strap feeder when said movable trough part moves to trough open position at the end of the strap feeding operation, and manually operable means for controlling the operation of said power means, said means movably mounting said movable trough part and said strap ejector means.

6. A strap feeding and guiding device for a banding station in a packaging line, comprising in combination,- means forming an inwardly open strap guiding track ex tending below and along one side of the bundle at the banding station, a strap feeder mounted at one end of said strap track and having a feed wheel engageable with the strapping to feed it into and through said strap track, power means connected to said feed wheel for rotating it in strap feeding direction, a generally horn-shaped, twopart, lead-in guiding trough having a fixed trough part and a movable trough part for guiding the strapping to said feed wheel, means mounting said movable trough part for movement between trough closed and open positions, strap ejector means movable with said movable trough part and engageable with the strapping for laterally ejecting the strapping from said strap feeder when said movable trough part moves to trough open position at the end of the strap feeding operation, means connected to said movable trough part and said ejector means for biasing said part and said ejector means to open and strap ejectment positions, respectively, and second power means connected to said movable trough part and said ejector means and operable to move said part and said ejector means to closed and out of ejectment positions, respectively, and means for simultaneously controlling the operation of both said power means.

7. A strap feeding and guiding device for a banding station in a packaging line, comprising in combination, means forming an inwardly open strap guiding track partially encircling the bundle at the banding station, a power driven strap feed wheel positioned adjacent one end of said strap track, a presser roller movable toward and away from said feed wheel and adapted to hold the strapping in engagement therewith, means for moving said presser roller toward and holding said presser roller to hold the strappling against said feed wheel when power is applied to said feed wheel, a horn-shaped, lead-in trough structure for guiding the strapping to and between said feed wheel and said presser roller, said trough structure having a stationary trough part and a laterally displaceable trough part movable between guiding position and strap ejectment position, strap ejector means movable with said movable trough part and adapted laterally to eject strapping from between said feed wheel and said presser roller when said movable trough part moves to strap ejectment position, and means connected to said movable trough part for moving the latter to strap guiding position when power is applied to said feed wheel.

8. A strap feeding and guiding device for a banding station in a packaging line having a conveyor along which the bundes to be bound move, comprising in combination, means forming an inwardly open strap guiding track extending below and vertically along one side of the path of bundle movement, a rotatable strap feed wheel positioned adjacent the upper end of the vertically extending portion of said strap track, power means connected to said feed wheel for rotating the latter in strap feeding direction, a presser roller movable toward and away from said feed wheel and adapted to hold the strapping in engagement therewith, means holding said presser roller toward and thereby the strapping in engagement with said feed wheel when said power means is energized, a horn-shaped, leadin trough structure for guiding the strapping to and between said feed wheel and said presser roller, said trough structure having a stationary trough part and a laterally displaceable trough part movable between guiding position and strap ejectment position, strap ejector means movable with said movable trough part and adapted laterally to eject strapping from between said feed wheel and said presser roller when said movable trough part moves to strap ejectment position, and means connected to said movable trough part for moving the latter to strap guiding position when said power means is energized.

9. A strap feeding and guiding device for a banding station in a packaging line, comprising in combination, means forming an inwardly open strap guiding track extending below and along one side of the bundle at the banding station, an electric motor driven strap feed wheel positioned adjacent one end of said strap track, a presser roller biased away from and movable toward said feed wheel where it is adapted to hold the strapping in engagement therewith, electric means holding said presser roller toward said feed wheel when said feed wheel motor drive is energized, a horn-shaped trough structure for guiding the strapping to and between said feed wheel and said presser roller, said trough structure having a stationary trough part and a laterally displaceable trough part movable between guiding position and open position, strap ejector means movable with said movable trough part and adapted laterally to eject strapping from between said feed wheel and said presser roller and from said trough structure when said movable trough part moves to open position, and electric means connected to said movable trough part for moving the latter to strap guiding position when said feed wheel motor drive is energized.

10. A strap feeding and guiding device for a banding station in a packaging line, comprising in combination, means forming an inwardly open strap gliding track extending below and along one side of the bundle at the banding station, a rotatable strap feed wheel positioned adjacent one end of said strap track, electric power means connected to said feed wheel for rotating the latter in strap feeding direction, a presser roller movable toward and away from said feed wheel and adapted to hold the strapping in engagement therewith, electric means holding said presser roller toward said feed wheel when said power means is energized, a lead-in trough structure for guiding the strapping to and between said feed wheel and said presser roller, said trough structure having a stationary trough part and a laterally displaceable trough part movable between guiding position and strap ejectment position, strap ejector means movable with said movable trough part and adapted laterally to eject strapping from between said feed wheel and said presser roller when said movable trough part moves to strap ejectment position, electric means connected to said movable trough part for moving the latter to strap guiding position when power is applied to said feed wheel, and common control means for said power means and both said electric means.

11. A strap feeder for feeding strapping to and through a strap guiding track, comprising in combination, a feed wheel engageable with the strapping, electric motor means connected to said feed wheel for driving the latter in strap feeding direction, a presser roller movable toward and away from said feed wheel and adapted to hold the strapping in engagement therewith, solenoid means connected to and operable to hold said presser roller toward said feed wheel when said electric motor means is energized, a strap guiding structure for guiding the strapping to and between said feed wheel and said presser roller, said structure including a horn-shaped trough having an enlarged inlet and a smaller outlet, said trough having a stationary trough part and a laterally displaceable trough part movable between strap guiding position and strap ejectment position, and movable means mounting said displaceable trough part, strap ejecting means movable with said trough part as the latter is moved out of strap guiding position and adapted laterally to eject strapping from between said feed wheel and said presser roller and said horn-shaped trough, spring means connected to said displaceable trough part and said strap ejecting means biasing said trough part away from strap guiding position and for holding said strap ejecting means in strap ejectment position, second solenoid means connected to and energizable with said electric motor means for moving said displaceable trough part into strap guiding position and for holding said strap ejecting means out of strap ejecting position, and manually operable switch means for simultaneously energizing said electric motor means and both said solenoid means.

12. A strap feeder for feeding strapping to and through a strap guiding track, comprising in combination, a feed wheel engageable with the strapping, power means connected to said feed wheel for driving the latter in strap feeding direction, a presser roller movable toward and away from said feed wheel and adapted to hold the strapping in engagement therewith, second power means operable to hold said presser roller toward said feed wheel when said feed wheel power means is energized, a lead-in strap guiding structure for guiding the strapping to and between said feed wheel and said presser roller, said structure including a pair of spaced rollers freely rotatable on fixed axes generally parallel to the path of strap movement and guiding the strapping by face contact therewith, a second pair of spaced rollers freely rotatable on axes perpendicular to the path of strap movement and guiding the strapping by edge contact therewith, means mounting one of said last named rollers for movement toward and away from strap guiding position, a trough structure having an enlarged inlet and a smaller outlet adjacent said guide rollers and including a fixed trough part and a laterally displaceable trough part movable between strap guiding position and strap ejectment position, and movable means mounting said displaceable trough part, means movable with said trough part and said guide roller as the latter are moved out of strap guiding position and adapted laterally to eject strapping from between said feed wheel and said presser roller, common means connected to said trough part, said guide roller, and said strap ejecting means for biasing said trough part and said guide roller away from strap guiding position and for holding said strap ejecting means in strap ejectment position, third power means energizable with said feed wheel power means for moving said displaceable trough part and said movable guide roller into strap guiding position and for holding said strap ejecting means out of strap ejecting position, and manually operable means for simultaneously energizing all said power means.

13. A strap feeder for feeding strapping to and through a strap guiding track, comprising in compination, a feed wheel engageable with the strapping, electric power means connected to said feed wheel for driving the latter in strap feeding direction, a presser roller movable toward and away from said feed wheel and adapted to hold the strapping in engagement therewith, solenoid means operable to hold said presser roller toward said feed wheel when said feed wheel power means is energized, a strap guiding structure for guiding the strapping to and between said feed wheel and said presser roller, said structure including a first pair of spaced rollers freely rotatable on fixed axes generally parallel to the path of strap movement, a second pair of spaced rollers freely rotatable on axes perpendicular to the path of strap movement, means mounting one of said last named rollers for movement toward and away from strap guiding position, a horn-shaped trough structure having an enlarged inlet and a smaller outlet adjacent said guide rollers and including a fixed trough part and a laterally displaceable trough part movable between strap guiding position and strap ejectment position, and movable means mounting said displaceable trough part, strap ejecting means movable with said trough part and said guide roller as the latter are moved out of strap guiding position and adapted laterally to eject strapping from between said feed wheel and said presser roller and 1 1 1 2 from said guiding trough, means connected to said trough manually operable switch means for simultaneously enerpart, said guide roller, and said strap ejecting means for gizing said feed wheel power means and both said solebiasing said trough part and said guide roller away from noid means.

strap guiding position and for holding said strap ejecting References Cited in the file of this patent means 111 strap e ectment posltion, second solenold means 5 energizable with said feed wheel power means for moving UNITED STATES PATENTS said displaceable trough part and said movable guide 2,438,386 Chamberlain Mar. 23, 1948 roller into strap guiding position and for holding said 2,632,381 Buckland Mar. 24, 1953 strap ejecting means out of strap ejecting position, an 2,831,422 Black et a1. Apr. 22, 1958 

